5th gear jerking
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Stage IV
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: Long Island
5th gear jerking
What’s up y’all. I got my first bike last year, 03 sportster 883 and I love this bitch. 17k miles when I got it, at around 21k now. I beat her up good. She’s never let me down, she’s old and a lil dirty and kinda rugged looking. I bought it from a dude who dumped his 02, just kept the frame and bought an 03 engine and slapped it in there. It had these shitty short drag pipes and he gave me these long sweeps that I eventually put on, and today, short shots. I have an aftermarket air cleaner, and I had already messed around with the carb and replaced some things a while ago. .48 jet and .170.
Anyway, since I’ve had it, if I was ever in 5th at 60-65, the bike would buck or jerk slightly. So I realized I was riding to slow in the gear and began chilling at 70 and above in 5th. Any time I shoot up to 85+ the bike jerks and jolts real hard, getting some wobble in there too because it’s a hard jolt. Each jolt has a high rev, and I can’t find a solid spot unless I slow down a little. Sometimes it will continue to jerk and jolt like that while slowly rolling off the throttle. It almost sounds like something is skipping and then catching its place.
Today I put the shorties on and it does that pretty much all of 5th gear at whatever speed. I’m hoping an upside to this is that it’s a fuel related issue since the condition changed with a new exhaust system and not the clutch or gearing.
If anyone’s got some info let me know, thanks.
Anyway, since I’ve had it, if I was ever in 5th at 60-65, the bike would buck or jerk slightly. So I realized I was riding to slow in the gear and began chilling at 70 and above in 5th. Any time I shoot up to 85+ the bike jerks and jolts real hard, getting some wobble in there too because it’s a hard jolt. Each jolt has a high rev, and I can’t find a solid spot unless I slow down a little. Sometimes it will continue to jerk and jolt like that while slowly rolling off the throttle. It almost sounds like something is skipping and then catching its place.
Today I put the shorties on and it does that pretty much all of 5th gear at whatever speed. I’m hoping an upside to this is that it’s a fuel related issue since the condition changed with a new exhaust system and not the clutch or gearing.
If anyone’s got some info let me know, thanks.
Thread Starter
|
Stage IV
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: Long Island
Took her to a good mechanic, waiting on new clutch plates. Hooked me up with some other odds and ends like fixing break pads the break levers and fixed a leak. Should be a couple days and I’m praying I have a new clutch to destroy!
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 2,626
Likes: 11,311
From: Colorado Rockies
60 to 65 mph isn't too slow in 5th gear. I have nearly 40K on my 01 Sportster and that speed should be fine in 5th.
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